To Wives and/or Mothers: Question About Family Worship?

[chicacanella]

I was thinking about the thread on worship and prayer and it got me to wondering.

I was listening wondering if you and your husband wake up at a certain time and devote worship and prayer to God or do you guys have different schedules? I know that I was listening to a woman of God one day that said her husband wakes up very early, like 4 a.m. to spend time with God because that is best for him but she wakes up later. She didn't say that they didn't come together after their individual worship so I guess after he went before the Lord and then she had her personal time, that they would come together.

They don't have children but what if you have kids? You want them to be involved even at the youngest age when their sleep schedules are on the same page with you and your husband. Did you place them in the play pen while you and your husband worshiped together?

Also, how did you start and what age did you teach your children about the bible? Did you use pictures, tapes, etc?

Here's an article on children and worship: http://goteach.gcp.org/music.asp?id=295183716285

Psalm 8:2
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.


Thanks

 

[chicacanella]

Bump...c'mon ladies don't keep it a secret. Help edify the body of Christ.

 

[Sheriberi]

Regarding children, I have used a very good book called Leading Little Ones to God (A Child's Book of Bible Teachings) by Marian M. Schoolland. It contains 86 readings (daily? weekly? you decide) that explain the Bible and basic Christian doctrine. Each reading includes a suggested Bible Reading, a hymn or poem, discussion questions, a memory verse, and a prayer.

The book explains in simple, conversational language: who God is, who we are, why God made us, how sin came into the world, why and how sin must be punished, why Jesus came, who the Holy Spirit is, why we must confess our sins, why we must be born again, how we should live, why and how we should pray, why we go to church, how we worship God, Baptism, the Lord's Supper, the end of this world, and the return of Jesus. The underlying theme of the entire book is hope.

My kids love this book. They read it on their own now.

I bought it from Christian Book Distributors, but it's probably available at your local Christian bookstore. I think I paid about $15.

 

[chicacanella]

Regarding children, I have used a very good book called Leading Little Ones to God (A Child's Book of Bible Teachings) by Marian M. Schoolland. It contains 86 readings (daily? weekly? you decide) that explain the Bible and basic Christian doctrine. Each reading includes a suggested Bible Reading, a hymn or poem, discussion questions, a memory verse, and a prayer.

The book explains in simple, conversational language: who God is, who we are, why God made us, how sin came into the world, why and how sin must be punished, why Jesus came, who the Holy Spirit is, why we must confess our sins, why we must be born again, how we should live, why and how we should pray, why we go to church, how we worship God, Baptism, the Lord's Supper, the end of this world, and the return of Jesus. The underlying theme of the entire book is hope.

My kids love this book. They read it on their own now.

I bought it from Christian Book Distributors, but it's probably available at your local Christian bookstore. I think I paid about $15.

thanks, I was beginning to wonder what forum I was in. J/k

I hope they still have this book when I have children. I know to some it may sound weird, but I want to prepare myself BEFORE I actually get married and have kids so there will be no surprise. Just knowing how this world is will definitely make any Christian mother make sure her child is equipped.

Oh yeah, $15 is cheap too!

 

[crlsweetie912]

I guess this is a really hard question Chica. I am not married, but my boys and I worship together at prayer service, bible study as well as regular worship services. They have TONS of books and their own bibles. All the books are on their level with language that they can understand. Shoot, most of them I found at the dollar store! Matter of fact, my middle son lost his and is so upset. (I gotta replace that)
Also, we pray every morning before we leave the house (or in the car) for a good day where ever we may be going.
I have caught all of them at times, singing worship songs and it warms my heart to know that they are "worshiping" in their own way. My middle son also started writing notes to God.
I talk to them often about their relationship with God, so it's an ongoing thing.

Also: We listen to all gospel/christian music so we can be found at a stop light in the car, throwing up our hands and singing in worship and in praise!
HTH.

 

[chicacanella]

I guess this is a really hard question Chica. I am not married, but my boys and I worship together at prayer service, bible study as well as regular worship services. They have TONS of books and their own bibles. All the books are on their level with language that they can understand. Shoot, most of them I found at the dollar store! Matter of fact, my middle son lost his and is so upset. (I gotta replace that)
Also, we pray every morning before we leave the house (or in the car) for a good day where ever we may be going.
I have caught all of them at times, singing worship songs and it warms my heart to know that they are "worshiping" in their own way. My middle son also started writing notes to God.
I talk to them often about their relationship with God, so it's an ongoing thing.

Also: We listen to all gospel/christian music so we can be found at a stop light in the car, throwing up our hands and singing in worship and in praise!
HTH.

I know it has to feel really good to know your kids are giving God his due praise.

What age did you begin to teach them about God and what kinds of questions did they have?

 

[crlsweetie912]

Chica I can't really say when I started. I guess since I can remember. My grandmom got them their bibles when they were born and she had this library that had so many books. And it kind of just grew from there. They always are in church with me and go to Sunday school. Most times they ask a lot of questions so it becomes an ongoing dialogue.

My youngest gets in trouble a lot because he has a motor mouth. He said "the devil makes him talk so much!". I said well you know what happens to people who listen to the devil over God?
He said "Jesus I am so sorry!"

 

[chicacanella]

that is sooo funny. kids are cute.

thanks to everyone who answered my question. I REALLY appreciate hearing from actual mothers and/or wives. *yep*

 

[HeChangedMyName]

My kids get introduced to worship through bedtime prayers. I HAD a childrens prayer book until they tore it up, so we pray and as they get older, their prayers get more intricate and detailed. They pray at mealtime. They participate in church as much as they can and even in times when one of them may get a little out of control, we stop and pray. If they get me to hollaring, I stop and ask them to pray. My goal is to make prayer, praise and worship a part of the fabric of their lives, rather than some extra thing that they are required to do. I want it to be second nature. We also use prayer and reflection when my oldest does something wrong. . .my punishments usually consist of a word study on the offense in the concordance and study of corresponding scripture so that they know what, and why their actions are not right. I plan to do this with my youngest two as they get older as well.

 

[melodies815]

Chicacanella, I like this thread. Thanks for starting it!

For me and hubby...we do have different schedules, but I wake when he is getting ready to leave and we pray together to give God our first and our best part of the day. Also...it "sets" the day. I don't think he did it the way I do before we married, but I saw a huge difference in my walk when I started the day honoring the Lord. We have missed a few days when I overslept or he was running late (and I do mean only a few - like 5-6 in going on 3 years) but the standard is to start the day with prayer together. We do our own worship separately and then come together again at various points in the month for family Bible study at home.

For our daughter: She started hearing the Word in the womb and scripture was a part of her first words. I got the entire Bible on CD for children when she was a baby and put it on for her to sleep to EVERY NIGHT!!! Every night since birth, she has gone to sleep with the Word. We only listen to Christian music or music that encourages or does not come into conflict with the principles of God's love (Jazz/classical/standards). Now that she is eleven, she is starting to develop a relationship with the Lord of her own. She's still young, but because we are currently stationed outside the US and don't go to church every week like we did there...well, she is growing up without the crutch of going to church to prove salvation. She will go for sure when we get back, but I think this time has helped her to start growing a genuine relationship rather than an activity-based habit. Does that make sense?

(Let me just say that I LOVE going to church, but I think all of us has been through the stage at one point in our walks when we got a little religious about fellowship and used the scripture about not forsaking fellowship and gathering together and hit the church every single time the doors opened because of that. It took a lot for me, personally to grow out of that stage and to realize that sometimes, fellowship is when I am on the phone with a Christian sister, sometimes it's at 11pm when hubby and I start talking out of the blue about what God is dealing with us about...and also at other times when we least expect it. I am rambling just to say that I have finally learned balance and cannot WAIT to get home and go to church, knowing that if we miss a Sunday every blue moon just to minister to our own family needs on a Sunday, God will not be mad at us.)

Anyway, we drill the Word around here...in love and in lots of fun...but it's pretty serious and I am just now starting to see the real benefits for our little one and for my marriage.

Does anyone have any really good pointers for material to teach purity in a way that makes it clear and doesn't cause the child to feel like they are being bombarded with a bunch of religious dogma? We talk about it all the time, but I want something for our daughter that will make it real, make it plain, and will stay with her for life...even if she never marries. Any pointers?

(subscribing)

Thanks so much!
cj

 

[ladyofvirtue]

DH and I get up just about every morning around 5:00 a.m. to pray together. I lay a beautiful white table cloth on the floor where he lays down upon it and I get down on my knees. We often spend many evenings together studying the Word. Believe me, it has revolutionalized our marriage and our lives, IN EVERY WAY! We love the Book of Solomon too.

After prayer, we then read from the Book of Proverbs according to the day of the month. Since today is 1/23/09, we read Proverbs 23.

B[COLOR="Magenta"As for my DS, [/COLOR][COLOR="magenta"]because I was having so much trouble conceiving, (it seemed like everybody around me was getting pregnant), I became desperate and I copied off of Hannah's prayer in the Book of I Samuel. She was having trouble getting pregnant too. For those who havn't read I and II Samuel, please do so.

GOD heard Hannah's prayer and opened her womb and HE did the same thing for me.[/COLOR]

[/COLOR]I started taking my son to church with me when he was about 4 months. My ex-husband and I presented him unto The LORD during a Christening Service when he was about 8 months.

A friend of mine also gave him a children's Bible. I read him so much of the KJV Bible to him that he began to quote it by memory. When he was about 2, We'd sit on the floor, reach our hands up to the ceiling and promise that we were going to squeeze God's hand and never let it go.

Once when I was reading to him about Jesus and Peter walking on the water, he said to me, "Mommie, I'll be back. I asked him where was he going? He said that he was going to run some water in the bath tub and start walking on top of it!" What I told him was, "you can't do that." I know. How could I read to him about doing the impossible and then stop him when he said he could do it too? Even today, I get so upset with myself for saying something so foolish to him.

Most importantly, as I grew in the faith, I tried to live and be an example to him. Unfortunately, I failed many times at this attempt. But, today, he tells me that he has learned so much from watching me live the Christian life because I kept it real and was not a hypocrite. (Thank God for grace and mercy).

 

[melodies815]

DH and I get up just about every morning around 5:00 a.m. to pray together. I lay a beautiful white table cloth on the floor where he lays down upon it and I get down on my knees. We often spend many evenings together studying the Word. Believe me, it has revolutionalized our marriage and our lives, IN EVERY WAY! We love the Book of Solomon too.

After prayer, we then read from the Book of Proverbs according to the day of the month. Since today is 1/23/09, we read Proverbs 23.

B[COLOR="Magenta"As for my DS, because I was having so much trouble conceiving, (it seemed like everybody around me was getting pregnant), I became desperate and I copied off of Hannah's prayer in the Book of I Samuel. She was having trouble getting pregnant too. For those who havn't read I and II Samuel, please do so.

GOD heard Hannah's prayer and opened her womb and HE did the same thing for me.[/color]

[/color]I started taking my son to church with me when he was about 4 months. My ex-husband and I presented him unto The LORD during a Christening Service when he was about 8 months.

A friend of mine also gave him a children's Bible. I read him so much of the KJV Bible to him that he began to quote it by memory. When he was about 2, We'd sit on the floor, reach our hands up to the ceiling and promise that we were going to squeeze God's hand and never let it go.

Once when I was reading to him about Jesus and Peter walking on the water, he said to me, "Mommie, I'll be back. I asked him where was he going? He said that he was going to run some water in the bath tub and start walking on top of it!" What I told him was, "you can't do that." I know. How could I read to him about doing the impossible and then stop him when he said he could do it too? Even today, I get so upset with myself for saying something so foolish to him.

Most importantly, as I grew in the faith, I tried to live and be an example to him. Unfortunately, I failed many times at this attempt. But, today, he tells me that he has learned so much from watching me live the Christian life because I kept it real and was not a hypocrite. (Thank God for grace and mercy).

Okaaaayyyy...the image of praying on a beautiful white cloth just really got to me. How lovely!!!! I am so serious...that is just so beautiful to imagine. Thanks for sharing.

cj

 

[Evolving78]

i started teaching my kids to bless their food and say a prayer at night before bed. i have a children's bible for them and i want to start reading it to them at night before bed. my kids really like children's church when we go, but my dh works on Sun now, so i have to think of something to do so we can all worship together. i am going to checkout somethings to do for kids. but i know i have to start setting a better example for my family.